Officials have charged two men for the murder of four of their fellow inmates at a South Carolina prison.

Authorities charged Denver Simmons, 35, and Jacob Philip, 25, with 4 counts of murder each, according to a report.

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Department of Corrections Director Bryan Stirling said the inmates were found Friday about 10:35 a.m. in a dorm at Kirkland Correctional Institution in the capital of Columbia. Stirling did not say how they died or release any further information.

King, Kelly and Scruggs all committed their crimes in the Upstate, according to state records. Ham committed his crime in Darlington County, records show.

State records show Simmons is serving a life sentence for two previous murders committed in Colleton County. Philip is also serving a left sentence for two previous murders in Berkeley County in 2013, according to state records.

The State Law Enforcement Division and Corrections police investigated this case.

Coroner Gary Watts confirmed he investigated four deaths at the facility, but wouldn't give any details about how the inmates died.

He did say that the deaths "don't appear to be natural."

Kirkland Correctional Institution is a level 3 prison built in 1975 that houses the maximum security unit that serves the entire state of South Carolina. The inmates housed in the unit are considered the most dangerous and violent offenders sentenced in the state. The prison processes nearly 15,000 offenders each year.

Also on the property is Kirkland Reception and Evaluation, which processes more than 15,000 inmates each year. Before male inmates 17 and older are assigned to a prison across the state, all start there. The facility receives, assesses and classifies every male inmate in the state who is sentenced to more than 91 days in prison.